Irma's girth and path made for a bizarre Florida storm surge

Jacksonville, FL

Savannah, GA

USA

by

Seth Borenstein and Claire Galofaro

,

AP News

Charlotte Glaze gives Donna Lamb a teary hug as she floats out to some of belongings in teh floodwaters from the Ortega River in Jacksonville, Florida, Monday, Sept 11, 2017, after Hurricane Irma passed through the area. Photo: Dede Smith, The Florida Times-Union via AP

Hurricane Irma’s devastating storm surge came with weird twists that scientists attribute to the storm’s girth, path and some geographic quirks.

A combination of storm surge, heavy rains and swollen rivers sent some of the worst flooding into Jacksonville, Florida, even though Irma roared into the opposite end of the state, had weakened to a tropical storm and its eye stayed at least 80 miles (130 kilometers) away.